Blind Love with a Kick Start
by Crystal.Bloodstone
Summary: Misao is tired of waiting around for Aoshi and goes to the mountains to pray but Aoshi notices she's gone... what happens when the snow falls? Read and find out.
1. Chapter 1

A Blind Love With A Kick Start

Chapter 1

Aoshi sighed quietly as he looked at the sky from where he sat in the temple. The past few weeks had been like this, all dark and dreary like his mood had been for the last two years.

_Two years_ he thought as he looked to the sky, _two years since that fight with Himura and Shishio._

He sighed again and went back to his meditation. Every day he followed the same routine; get up, have breakfast with the others, come to the temple to meditate, eat dinner with the others, then go to bed. Every day without fail he would follow this routine and everything just blurred together, one day into another.

Aoshi barley turned his head at the sound of the door sliding open and the soft clink of the tea set. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Misao kneel and pour the tea for him and herself.

"Aoshi-sama," she said quietly as she held a cup of tea out to him, her eyes down cast at the floor.

All he did was nod as he took the tea from her hands. He raised the tea to his lips and sipped it, noting that it was perfectly made as always. Aoshi turned to her as he placed the empty cup on the tray next to hers.

Misao sighed and collected the tea items, having not once looked Aoshi in the eye like she usually did and he noticed though didn't say anything.

When Misao reached the door she slid it open and paused. In a voice that could barley be heard she whispered, "Adiosu, Aoshi-sama".

This instantly caught his attention as she slid the door closed behind her. _Misao never says good bye when she leaves_.

The more Aoshi thought about this, the more concerned and upset he became. Having decided that he would talk to her after dinner he went back to his meditations, but his mind always returned to Misao, no matter how he tried to forget her.

Misao walked away from the temple, sad and depressed. Every day she took tea to Aoshi and every day he said only a few words or nothing at all. She was tired of this and longed for him to say Something.

_It's been so long and he barley speaks to me, or to anyone else for that matter. I worry about him but I can't wait around for him to make up his mind._

She sighed and went back into the Aoiya with the tea tray in hand. Looking over her shoulder at the temple for a moment, Misao made up her mind and went inside.

The next day was just like the last as Aoshi sat in the temple meditating. Though it was still early the sun was shining brightly and the temperature was rising.

_It's going to be another hot day_ he thought. Aoshi glanced to the clock and looked back outside.

_Almost 10:30, and Misao hasn't come yet._ His mind began wondering back to what she had said yesterday when she left.

"_Adiosu, Aoshi-sama _", _why did she say that, and why hasn't she come yet?_

An hour passed, then two, and she still didn't come. His concentration was broken and he stood, pacing the room. At about 1 p.m. Okina came with a lunch try for him. The sound of footsteps had made Aoshi hopeful, but his hope fell to earth like broken glass when he saw it was Okina.

"Oh? And what makes you look more miserable than usual?" Okina asked as he set the tray on the floor.

"Where is Misao?" Aoshi nearly demanded. In his worried state, all his emotional masks were falling off.

"Ah, Misao left yesterday on a trip. I believe she was headed north for some alone time"

Aoshi went to the window and looked out over the garden, lost in thought. _Why didn't she tell me, why did she seem so sad? It doesn't make sense, nothing upsets Misao_. With a frown Aoshi ignored his lunch and Okina's questions as he left the temple, returning to his room at the Aoiya.

_I need to figure this all out_ Misao thought to herself as she walked down the long road to the northern mountain temple. The air was cold and crisp, signaling an approaching snow storm.

Misao reached the temple as the first few white, fluffy flakes began to fall. _Che! Now I'm gonna be stuck here for awhile, oh well, now I'll have plenty of time to myself._

Misao entered the temple and instantly knew she had the place to herself. She picked out a room and left her things there, heading for the peace and quiet of the main chapel. Taking a seat in front of the statue she lit some incense and closed her eyes, beginning to pray and meditate.

Little did Misao know that someone else was heading for that very temple. Someone she would never suspect but someone she knew.

_Chi! Where did this damn snow storm come from? It was clear just a little while ago._ The person smiled ruefully to themselves. _If only my baka deshi was here, I could blame this all on him. Ahh well, I had to come anyway, it was long overdue for this trip. I just hope I don't see anyone I know, humpf, they would be laughing to see me here for such a silly reason._

He pulled his white cape closer around himself and pressed onward, the temple just in sight. Under his arm he carried a small package and a jug of sake. Holding the items tightly against his side he pushed on until he reached the temple steps. With one free hand he pushed open the door to the main chapel……


	2. Chapter 2

A Blind Love With A Kick Start

Chapter 2 

With one free hand her pushed open the door to the main chapel… and saw a small girl sitting there, her long black hair pulled back in a braid and coiling slightly on the floor behind her. Moving with all the stealth he possessed, he crept up to the front of the chapel by a pillar to look at the girl.

Upon seeing her face he instantly recognized her from the Aoiya. _So, what is she of all people doing here in My temple?_ Raising his head and an arrogant smirk on his face, he stepped out of the shadow where he was standing, demanding in his egotistical voice, "And what do You think your doing here in My temple?"

Misao had been so deep in thought that she didn't hear the person enter the temple. With her head bowed all she could do was wonder.

_Why Kami-sama, why is Aoshi ignoring me and my feelings for him? Should I just tell him, or.. should I just leave him be and move on? I really don't know what to do anymore. All he does is pray, pray, and pray some more, everyday for the past 2 years._

Just as all these thoughts passed through her mind a tall man with black hair and a white cape stepped out of the shadow to her right and demanded in an authoritative voice, with a hint of a massive ego. "And what do You think your doing here in My temple?"

Misao was so shocked by someone being there and her not knowing that out of pure surprise and reflex, she screamed…. .

_Why? Why did she have to leave, and not tell me?_ Aoshi wondered as he approached the temple, the snow getting deeper by the minute. _And why did she have to come all the way out here?_

No sooner than Aoshi thought all this he heard a piercing scream coming from the temple. _That was Misao!_ He instantly broke into a sprint and all but flew up the temple steps. Just as he reached the door he drew both of his kodachi's and kicked down the door, not caring what was waiting for him on the other side.

He shook his head and looked at Misao with distane as he tried to clear his ringing ears.

"Why in the world did u scream like a little kid, I thought an oniwabanshu ninja was trained to notice every little sound even when meditating" he demanded with more than a little annoyance in his voice.

Misao tried to calm down her racing heart after he startled her from her thoughts. Once she had figured out who he was her fright quickly turned to anger.

"Damn you Hiko, couldn't you have make Some noise!" practically yelling in his face.

"I'm the only person who comes here, baka, so I was suspicious when I sensed you in here. Just get over it you little wimp."

Misao was instantly on her feet with a fist full of Kunii in each hand and just about to throw them at Hiko when a huge crash made them look back at the main doors.

"Aoshi-sama!"

Aoshi took quick stock of the situation, standing in a ready battle stance with a kodachi in each hand. Noting that Misao was unhurt and had Kunii in both hands he turned his attention to the other person in the room beside her.

_Hiko Sejiuro! What is the master of Hiten mitsurugi-ryu doing in a secluded mountain temple….. with Misao?_

Aoshi cautiously dropped out of his fighting stance and looked at the two of them. Misao had put the kunii away and was looking questioningly at Aoshi. Hiko stood there calm and arrogant as ever.

"So…. Someone care to explain to me what is going on here?"

"Hiko just startled me, that's all," Misao said quickly.

"You should have trained this brat better, Shinamori-san. She didn't even know I was here until I let her know." He smirked and went up to the alter, laying the package he hand next to the incense and he poured some of the sake he hand over the statue as an offering.

Misao was staring daggers at Hiko's back, but turned to look sheepishly at Aoshi before running off to her room.

Hiko turned at the sound of her leaving and looked out the broken door at the snow storm. "Damn, looks like I'm stuck here with You two.. just try to stay away from me, alright?" his voice holding a note of bored sarcasem.

Aoshi just noded slightly, picked up his bag and followed the path Misao had taken, going to find a room for himself.

"Che, stuck here with those two till the storm breaks. This is Not how I wanted to spend my time here," Hiko murmured as he grabbed his things and followed Aoshi. It was going to be a long stay...


	3. Chapter 3

A Blind Love With A Kick Start

Chapter 3 

Misao sighed and looked out the window at the still falling snow. _It's been three days, Three Days! I can't believe it hasn't stopped snowing yet._ Misao had been keeping her distance from both Hiko and Aoshi, trying to sort out her feelings, but with Aoshi so near it was turning out to be a very difficult task.

_Why? Why did Aoshi-sama have to come? I wish he would have stayed at the Aoiya._ Misao thought for the umptenth time that day. Out of the corner of her eye she saw something white flash quickly and dissappear behind her. She snapped her head around to see Hiko watching her with a smirk on his face.

"Kuso, can't u make any noise at all?" she said as she glared at him.

His smirk just got wider as he said, "then where would be the fun in making you jump, silly girl."

Misao gave him a look before turning back to looking outside at the falling snow. "Could you please leave," in a quieter voice, "I need some time to myself."

Hiko rolled his eyes and instead of leaving, walked right up next to Misao and sat down to her left beside her. He gently smacked her upside the head with two fingers. "Baka, you think you can tell Me what to do?"

"Why you…!" Misao was suddenly on her feet with a fist full of kunii, ready to throw them at Hiko's head.

Hiko just looked at her with an arrogant smile and said calmly, "do you honestly think you can hit me with those, even from that distance?"

Misao scowled and sat back down. She gave a small defeated sigh and resumed looking out the window at the snow.

Hiko looked at the girl with an amused look. _Such a firery spirit, and more obediant than my baka deshi ever was. The only thing wrong with her is that she keeps pining after that piece of stone and ice named Aoshi. She loves him dearly but he doesn't show her the slightest return of that feeling. Misao no baka, Aoshi no baka, they need a good smacking around._

With that though Hiko rose quickly and shut the door, latching it to keep out Aoshi, should he come walking by. He quickly returned to his seat next to Misao, a determined look on his arrogant face…….

Aoshi sat in his room reading one of the 2 book he brought with him, but he couldn't stay interested in the story for long, his mind always returning to the question of why Misao had come to this lone mountain temple.

_This seems so unlike her, what could she have possibly been thinking?_ He wondered as he put his book down on his futon. Stretching, he decided to take a walk around the temple to clear his mind and organize his thoughts and feelings.

On his walk he ended up passing Misao's room, the door having been left open. With a quick look around he stepped inside to see if she was there. Of course she wasn't, her futon had been laid out in the center of the room with her bag of belongings beside it. In the far corner of the room there was a small writing desk with several pieces of paper on it, most of them blank but a few had been writen on. Aoshi went over to the desk and picked up one of the small pieces of paper.

" _Kami-sama, please answer my prayers and tell me why Aoshi ignores me so much and my feelings for him_." Aoshi looked stunned as he read this small strip of paper. He knew that Misao liked him, but he hadn't thought anymore of it than puppy love.

_So that's why she came all the way out here. But I'm not worthy of her, I'm too stained with blood and guilt to ever be right for her, that's why I keep my distance. But she won't let go. Why?_

Aoshi looked at the paper for a long time then picked up another, and another, all of them having similar sayings on them. But one of them was different from the rest and this one almost broke his heart. It was a letter addressed to him.

"_Dear my Aoshi-sama,_

_I can tell by now that you don't return my feelings at all and I will leave you alone. I will always love you like I have my whole life, but I can't stand to stay around you anymore knowing that you don't love me as well. I've made up my mind to leave the Aoiya and travel, finding a place for myself to hopefully find a happy life. I know I won't marry, there is no one that can fill that place in my heart except for you. With these words I leave you and the others, most likely forever, and I hope you can find someone that you will love like I love you Aoshi-sama._

_-Fairwell_

_Misao_

Misao was busy trying to dodge the fast thrusts and slices of Hiko's katana. _What the hell is wrong with him!_

She yelped as a fast slice opened up a four inch gash in her arm and she threw a hand full of kunii at him. He of course dodged or smacked away every single one easily and wore a bored look on his face, though something sparked in his eyes.

_She's not that bad for a kid her age, but she could be a lot better._ Hiko let out a sigh that Misao couldn't have heard. _Now for the hard part of this lesson,_ he thought as he looked at Misao.

"What a poor techneqiue, no wonder Shinamori-san ignored you like he does," Hiko said with an amused look.

"WHAT!" Misao threw so many kunii at Hiko that it looked like a flying wall of sharp objects. Misao reached into her obi for more kunii but suddenly realized that she was all out. O_h no! I'll end up dead for sure now._ With a small sigh she said her goodbye, _fairwell Aoshi-sama, I guess you'll be happier now that you won't have me bothering you._ Misao closed her eyes and waited for the sharp bite of Hiko's katana that she knew was coming……

_Oh Misao_, Aoshi thought to himself. His head suddenly snapped up from looking at the fallen letter when he heard the clang of steel on steel. _Nani? Who could be fighting, only Misao, Hiko and myself are here and I didn't sense anyone else around._ Aoshi dashed out of the room so fast it seemed like he vanished.

_There it is, that's where the noise came from._ Aoshi ran to the door and gave it a hard pull, but it wouldn't open. He instinctively grabed for his kodachi but realized too late that he had left them in his room. _Che!_ He could sense Misao and Hiko on the other side of the door but he couldn't get in, his feelings becoming even more desperate when he heard more clangs of steel on steel.

_Misao has to be almost out of kuni by know. She won't last much longer against a skilled fighter like Hiko._ Aoshi was in a panic about loosing Misao. He kicked down the door just in time to see Hiko charge Misao from behind, katana held out as if to impale her.

"Noo!" Aoshi made a blind dive to knock Misao out of the way, just as Hiko's katana pierced his side instead of Misao's back………


End file.
